Cliff Swallows have begun making nests on the overpasses above busy highways and interstates

Initially, many of them were getting hit by cars, leading to their untimely demise

Rather quickly, researchers began noticing bird deaths were declining

They then noticed these highway birds’ wings seemed to have evolved to shorten, making it easier for them to avoid head-on collisions

Much more research is needed to prove that this quick evolution is actually happening because of vehicles, but it is looking as though it might be the case. SO COOL.

I was inspired. I created this swallow with the hopes of emphasizing a really large wing vs. a small one. While I like the final piece, if I were to re-do it, I would create a smaller bodied bird and somehow drastically differentiate the wing sizes. Placing the smaller wing in front would help too. Currently, it looks as though I’ve demonstrated perspective on the back wing – not really my goal. An interesting little guy, nonetheless!